What a Difference a Day Makes . . .

Well, it is November in Northern Wisconsin.  No better time for a dear friend from California to come and visit.  Stacie came to visit and we had a wonderful time.  Homemade pizza Friday night and conversations late into the night.  Saturday we walked the Chick-uamegon 5K in the brisk 30 degree air (and hauled - we walked a 14:26 pace!).  It is a women's only race here in town, which is pretty fun.  Some women get ridiculously dressed up for it, we opted for regular, warm clothes.

Staying warm at the elementary school before the start.

When I got home, Lilly was very excited for the tiara (my prize for finishing), my number, and my medal.  Putting those on then required putting on her fancy dress up clothes.  She wanted to wear the tiara to bed, but we figured that would be pretty uncomfortable and it would probably break, so promised she could wear it as soon as she woke up.

The afternoon was spent hanging out at our house, playing and snacking.  It was, however, the opening weekend of Northland hockey.  We asked Lilly if she wanted to stay and play with our friends, or if she wanted to see hockey and hockey won.

Blurry photo but she's pounding on the glass.

While we were at the hockey game, Stacie baked an amazing cake, one whose recipe included an entire bag of York Peppermint Patties.  Tim helped Nick put the new rug/carpet in the play room upstairs (we changed our office area into a play area for Lilly to run around in this winter).  Then we all played in the new room, playing soccer, hockey, and trying to do somersaults.  After Lilly went to bed, we grilled (yes it is essentially winter here, but we grill under any conditions!), played Settlers, and ate the amazing cake, which she added extra frosting to just for me!

Stacie reading to Lilly

This should not be possible.

Ask a toddler to smile . . . that's the impressive cake!

Sunday was a relaxing morning eating pancakes and hanging out and knitting.  After Lilly's nap and checking the forecast we realized snow was headed our direction, so we should probably take the tomato cages out of the garden, take down the fence, put the sandbox toys away, and take care of the other miscellaneous outdoor things.   Lilly was very helpful, she picked up the dead raspberry canes for me to cut up so I wouldn't have to bend down.

Helping roll up the garden fence

After cleaning up outside, we picked up Stacie and Elizabeth and headed up to Bayfield for a quick trip to East Dock Park and dinner at Maggie's.  Fun times were had by all.

Stacie riding the zip line

Stacie also gave Lilly her tiara from the race, and Lilly had to
wear it all through dinner.

It was so great spending time with Stacie.  She's one of those friends who we can pick up just right where we left off, even though it has been years since we've seen one another.  The weekend was perfect and so much fun, and I am so thankful Stacie made it up to visit!

Sunday evening we had a chilly but great time at the park.  When we left for work thirteen hours later, it was starting to snow.  Near the end of the day, this was the view from the doorway at the end of the hallway outside my classroom (depressingly my classroom has no windows).

Lilly was incredibly excited about the snow and her new-to-her snow pants.  We told her she could play outside once she went in and had a snack.

Walking to the house after day care.

After an episode of Curious George, we bundled up and headed outside to the blustery, snowy darkness.

Sliding into a giant pile of snow

Back inside!

Lilly wasn't thrilled with having to come inside and especially not thrilled to take off her snow pants. We compromised - she came inside, took most of her winter gear except the snow pants off, and Nick brought some snow in from outside for her to play with.

I am trying hard not to get my hopes up for a snow day tomorrow.  We've had about eight inches of snow so far.  The winds are gusting upwards of 17 mph, and waves on Lake Superior are hitting eight feet, and they are forecasting another one to three tonight and five to eight inches of snow tomorrow.  So, I'd love a snow day but I am also thinking using one up in November for the first real snowfall of the year is probably not wise.